Human Rights Officer Job at Heartland Alliance International

Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is the international wing of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, a family of organizations that has been leading anti-poverty and social justice work in Chicago for more than 125 years. HAI is comprised of numerous country offices implementing programs on a broad range of human rights issues globally, as well as the Chicago-based Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture, which serves individuals from more than 50 countries.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Human Rights Officer
Job Locations: Jigawa and Yobe
Employment Type: Full-time

Job Summary

• Provide technical support to Heartland Alliance Ltd/Gte, Key Populations Local Implementing Partners, and civil society on Human Rights and requirements in promoting access to healthcare services.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify and address legal barriers impeding access to health services by the target population
• Play the lead role in HIV/AIDS Practice for Key Populations (KPs) designing strategies for responding to the human rights dimension of the HIV epidemic and KAP
• Design and implement training programs on the right-based approaches to Health and HIV service provision for various target groups
• Undertake human rights research and analysis and preparation of reports as required
• Assist in drafting statements and other related documents
• Provide legal representations, other human rights intervention, and conflict resolution mechanisms for KPs and communities
• Identifying human rights violations of KPs, gathering information and facts, interviewing those violated and the violators where appropriate, and developing a plan of action to prevent future occurrences
• Prepare human rights education materials to raise awareness of human rights and participate in Awareness raising activities
• Draft program activity summaries and assist in the coordination and finalization of reports and other documents
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or competency required:
Education and/or Experience:

• A Degree in Law.
• Knowledge of Sharia Law and Jurisprudence.
• At least three years of experience in public health advocacy to increase access to health-vulnerable populations.
• Knowledgeable about HIV service provision within the global, national, state, and local context.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Able to provide leadership as well as work in a team environment.
• Ability to set priorities, handle multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Flexible and adaptable to rapidly changing priorities and the ability to handle confidential information.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership and involvement is critical.
• Ability to plan, organize, track, and successfully conclude special projects and events.
• Organizational skills and attention to detail are of the utmost importance.
• A professional demeanor and composure in a fast-paced, demanding environment are essential. Must work independently; set priorities, recognize urgency, work effectively and efficiently, and exercise discretion in handling confidential information.

Other Competencies:

• Time Management – Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time, and complete projects in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision.
• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively.
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Cultural Sensitivity – Respect the cultural environment in which a person is working and does not act in a manner that is outwardly offensive to the local community.
• Non-discriminatory- Do not discriminate against persons based on sexual orientation or gender identity, age, preferred jobs, or behavioral habits.

Language Skills:

• Excellent oral and written English communication skills.

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems, and PowerPoint.
• Other software routinely used by Heartland Alliance Ltd/Gte.

Work Environment:

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• The employee may be required to travel regularly to often insecure and limited-resource environments.